Archive for the ‘John Greenwood’ tag

In the late 1960s, it was possible to walk into a local Chevrolet dealership, write a (substantial) check, and order up a factory lightweight Corvette, purpose-built for racing. In the early 1970s, perhaps the most famous of these Corvettes were the American-flag liveried cars of the John Greenwood team, but serving as a counterpoint was a Corvette owned by Floridian Orlando Costanzo, painted in a daring Confederate flag motif. This underdog “Rebel Corvette” would set speed records, capture the IMSA GTO Championship and be immortalized in plastic by model maker Revell; and on January 18, it will be offered to the public by Barrett-Jackson as part of its Scottsdale, Arizona, sale.

Available as a Regular Production Option (RPO) since the 1967 model year, the L88 engine option for the Corvette also required checking a few more boxes. To get the 430-horsepower, aluminum-head V-8, buyers also needed to order the C48 heater and defroster delete (which saved weight); the M22 heavy-duty transmission with close-ratio gearing; the K66 transistorized ignition (minus shielding, because radio interference wasn’t an issue); the J50 power-boosted brake system; the J56 heavy-duty brake calipers with semi-metallic pads and a proportioning valve; the F41 suspension (which came with stiffer springs, larger shock absorbers, a larger front anti-roll bar and a rear anti-roll bar); and a G81 Positraction rear end with 3.70:1 standard gearing (though other final drive ratios could be ordered).

The net result was a competitive race car, minus finishing details like a roll cage and driver’s harness, delivered directly from Chevrolet. The Rebel Corvette was initially delivered to Costanzo in 1969 wearing Daytona Yellow paint, and this particular L88 was also delivered with prototype cylinder heads that wouldn’t officially be released for another six months. Costanzo’s L88 was reportedly one of just four early models built with open chamber cylinder heads and a dual-disc clutch, a benefit that likely stemmed from his SCCA racing background and his official ties to GM as the sales manager for Ferman Chevrolet in Tampa, Florida. Though later trimmed with orange stripes, the car was campaigned like this until 1971, when the livery was changed in recognition of the car’s Florida base of operations and as a jab to the Greenwood team.

While Costanzo and driver Dave Heinz enjoyed some success racing the L88 (both pre- and post-Rebel paint scheme), the car failed to deliver championship results, likely due to the level of competition in SCCA and IMSA GTO events. Midway through the 1971 season, Costanzo sold the car to team manager Toye English, who formed the Racing Engineering and Development (RED) team with his son. Handling driving duties would be Heinz and Don Yenko, and sponsorship from Goodyear Tires would help to defray costs. As the Greenwood Team carried sponsorship from BFGoodrich, the rivalry between the two Corvette squads soon became known as the “Tire Wars,” which ultimately helped both Goodyear and BFGoodrich develop radial tire technology for street and track.

In the RED Team’s first outing, at Watkins Glen in 1971, the Rebel Corvette finished second to a Greenwood Corvette piloted by John Greenwood and Bob Johnson. It didn’t take long for Heinz and Yenko to begin posting wins, and a victory at Daytona in the final race of the 1971 season gave the RED Team the 1971 IMSA GTO Championship; along the way, Don Yenko set a new tri-oval speed record for the class, lapping the high banking at a speed of 201.4 MPH. The following year, the Rebel Corvette would take and hold the GT Class lead at Sebring for the entire 12 hours of the event, ultimately taking the class win and finishing fourth overall.

The RED Team would campaign the car sporadically as late as the 1974 season, but its glory days were behind it. Almost lost to history, the car was discovered by Corvette specialist Kevin Mackay in a junkyard in 1991, reportedly with its body panels and cockpit mostly intact. In 1993, Mackay’s shop restored the car to its 1972 livery, and it’s been campaigned at selected vintage events since. The car has also been displayed at the National Corvette Museum, and remains one of the most-recognized L-88 Corvettes from the glory days of IMSA GTO racing.

The Rebel Corvette is set to cross the stage in Scottsdale on January 18 as part of Barrett-Jackson’s with-reserve Salon Collection. For additional information, visit Barrett-Jackson.com.

UPDATE (18.January 2014): The Corvette sold for $2.86 million, including buyer’s premium.

At the intersection of ISCA and IMSA lies this Greenwood-inspired custom 1976 Chevrolet Corvette for sale on Hemmings.com, a labor of love and massively flared fenders which remains surprisingly restrained inside. Also, we spy a unicorn mini-mural on the tailpanel. Win. Pure and unadulterated win. From the seller’s description:

Daytona kit, 350 engine, 350 TH automatic transmission, power steering, power brakes, power windows, red viper with gold stripes, back-up camera, curb alert, T-top + rain coat sport top, full chrome motor, 24 k. gold on some parts, radio custom autosound USA-630, matching numbers, same owner since 30 years, never abused, winner of many plaques and trophees, including an Outstanding Full/Radical/Handbuilt Custom at an Autorama Show

The hammer dropped at $580,000, before the various premiums and transportation costs were paid. So, before getting it back to Ohio, the grand total came in closer to $640,000. Still, this is far below RM’s preauction estimate of $750,000 – $950,000.

We’re hoping to catch up with Michaelis for an interview next week, but he told us in a brief e-mail Thursday that he “felt very good buying this car,” at the price he paid. Michaelis also said he plans to keep the Stars and Stipes ‘Vette as his “star L88.” Currently he owns seven L88s.

Michaelis’s No. 49 Corvette is one of the three John Greenwood BFGoodrich team cars that terrorized FIA endurance races in the early 1970s, roaring through Le Mans, Sebring and Daytona.

At various different outings, it was driven by the likes of John Greenwood, Bob Johnson, Dick Smothers and Don Yenko. The car grabbed its first major win in 1972 at Watkins Glen, with Greenwood and Smothers taking turns behind the wheel for the six-hour race.

The engine currently in the car is an authentic Traco-built all-aluminum ZL-1 427 with more than 750hp. The car was restored in 2008 by Corvette Repair of Valley Stream, New York, which is owned by noted Corvette expert Kevin Mackay.

It received a Best in Class at The Quail in 2008, was invited as a center display car for the Corvette Racing Legends event at the Petersen Museum in Los Angeles, received the Amelia Award at the 2009 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance and was selected for Bloomington Gold Grand Finale in 2009. The car was also awarded the American Heritage Award in 2009, the highest award for non-street Corvettes by the National Corvette Restorers Society and was on display at the National Corvette Museum in 2009.

Normally on the Fourth of July we go chasing after one of the many RWB-scheme American Motors products to feature, but we couldn’t pass up taking a look at a John Greenwood stars-n-stripes Corvette this Independence Day.

One of three built by Greenwood in 1969, No. 49 came across our radar this past week when RM announced that it will cross the block at its Monterey auction in August. An original L-88 car, it now features a ZL-1 all-aluminum 427-cu.in. V-8 that helped it to reach 215 MPH on the Mulsanne Straight at Le Mans. Pre-auction estimates range from $750,000 to $950,000. We’ll let RM tell the Corvette’s story:

THE JOHN GREENWOOD BFG “STARS & STRIPES” RACING CORVETTES

In 1971 John Greenwood contracted with the BF Goodrich Tire Company to run two “BFG Corvettes” in FIA-sanctioned racing on the company’s new radial tires for the 1972-1973 seasons. Greenwood, an excellent race driver with a creative engineering mind, knew that his Corvettes running on street tires would be at a disadvantage against the competition on racing slicks. So every aspect of his BFG team cars – engines, suspensions, running gear, aero, brakes and even the appearance – had to be cutting edge and maxed-out to the limit of the rules. John’s brother, Bert Greenwood, a superb designer in his own right, sketched the “Stars & Stripes” graphics, and an American Corvette racing icon was born. The race cars were numbered #48 and #50 with a third “Stars & Stripes” car, #49, slated for use by BFG for promotions and shows. When the #50 car was damaged in a 1972 crash, Greenwood quickly converted the immaculate #49 show car, an actual factory L-88 T-top coupe with a ZL-1 engine, to racing specification, since the lucrative BFG contract called for running two Corvettes in the specified races.

All three of the BFG “Stars & Stripes” cars are intact and restored: #48 in the possession of Cincinnati-based enthusiast Harry Yeaggy and #50 raced on the west coast by John Goodman. The #49 BFG Corvette, the car here on offer, is now with a well-known California sports car enthusiast.

THE BFG #49 ZL-1 CORVETTE

Our 1969 Corvette was one of three team cars sponsored by BF Goodrich during the 1971-1973 seasons to showcase their new line of T/A radials. The #49 car was driven by top road course drivers of the period, including John Greenwood, Bob Johnson, Dick Smothers and Don Yenko.

The car’s initial major win was a first place in GT class in 1972 at the Watkins Glen six-hour race driven by Greenwood and Smothers. In 1973 it was campaigned at the 12 Hours of Sebring, Daytona 24 Hours and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. This car set the GT speed record of 215 mph on the Mulsanne straight in qualifying!

It was restored to concours condition in 2008 by Corvette Repair of Valley Stream, New York, which is owned by noted Corvette expert Kevin Mackay. It then debuted at The Quail Motorsports 2008 event where it received “Best in Class” against a strong field of Sebring race cars. Later in 2008 it was invited as a center display car for the Corvette Racing Legends event at the Petersen Museum in Los Angeles. The car also received the prestigious Amelia Award at the 2009 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance and was selected for Bloomington Gold Grand Finale in 2009. The car was awarded the American Heritage Award in 2009, the highest award for non-street Corvettes by the National Corvette Restorers Society. It was a feature display at the National Corvette Museum for the Corvette Hall of Fame in 2009. Most recently it was invited to celebrate Corvette’s first Le Mans win at the Laguna Seca ALMS race in 2010.

#49 comes with a complete ownership history, John Greenwood’s letter of authenticity, original bill of sale, Le Mans registration and tech inspection sheets. This car is probably the most original of the three team cars, retaining its rear clip, frame, steering wheel, gauges, mirrors, dash, t-tops, removable radiator brackets, Minilite wheels, trailing arms, camber adjustment screws, NOS BFG tires, etc. According to Mr. Mackay, the car is fitted with the last ZL-1 engine from Traco, the historic builder of race engines for Roger Penske and Jim Hall, and comes with a vintage DVD from Le Mans and a detailed video with John and Burt Greenwood validating the car’s unique features.

Kevin MacKay recently commented that this BFG Stingray is his most meticulous and correct work to date. Since the other two BFG cars are in important collections for the long-term, the #49 car is not only likely the best Greenwood “Stars & Stripes” Corvette available but also the only one!

For more on the Corvette and RM’s Monterey auction, visit RMAuctions.com. Images in the gallery below are by Kimball Stock, courtesy RM Auctions.